Steering gear for airships



Patented Feb. 18, 1930 UNITED STATES' PATENT OFFICE JESSE D. LANGDON, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

STEERING GEAR FOR AIRSHIPS Application led April 10, 1929. Serial No. 354,011.

t5l both be tilted in the same direction, or may be tilted in opposite directions, and in order that the rudder may be operated independently or in cooperation with the ailerons, such as when making turns. l

`yAnother object of the invention is the provision of a steering gear of novel construction by means of which the rudder and ailee rons may be conveniently controlled from a single control member. f With the foregoing and other objects in view, whichwill be apparent as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the construction and arrangement ofparts, as hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention. f The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein the figure is a perspectiveview of the improved steering gear.

In carrying outI the invention a sleeve shaft 1 is journaled in bearings 2 and has an arm 3 connected by cables 4 or otherwise to the arms 5 of the rudder 6, so 'that when said shaft is rocked it will swing the rudder 6, for purpose of steering the airship.

A tube 7 is slidable through the shaft 1, being feathered to said shaft so that the shaft turns with 'the tube, and said tube has a lever arm 7 on which a hand wheel 8` is mounted for rotation.

A drum 9 is secured to said hand wheel and cables 10 are wound up on and secured to said drum and pass over pulley wheels 11 mounted 40 at the end of the tube 7 at which the arm 7 is located. `Said cables 10 extend through the tube 7 and around pulley wheels 12 mounted on fixed pivots beyond the opposite end of the tube, and said cables are connected to the arms 13 of the ailerons 14.

The other cables 15 are connected to the from the pulley wheels 16 around pulley wheels 17 beyond the corresponding end of the tube, and said cables are connected to the aileron arms 13. f

The pulley wheels 11 and 16 are carried by the tube 7, while the pulley wheels 12 and 17 55 are rotatable on fixed pivots beyond the ends of the tube. The cables 11 and 15 may be connected in any suitable manner with the ailerons, and the arrangement of rudder and ailerons shown is conventional for purpose of illustration only.

The hand wheel 8 is manipulated for controlling the rudder and ailerons. By moving the hand wheel sidewise so as to swing the arm 7 this will turn the shaft 1 and swing v65 the arm 3 so as to turn the rudder. By turning the wheel 8 the cables 11 and 15 are moved to swing the ailerons 14 in opposite directions, and such control of the ailerons is had simultaneously with the control ofthe rudder 6, such as when making turns. Thus, by grasping the wheel and moving same toward either side, the arm 7 is swung to move the rudder accordingly, and the tilting movement of the arm will result in a relative rotation between the arm and hand wheel so that the cables 11 and 15 are moved to swing one aileron upwardly and the other downwardly.

By sliding the tube 7 forwardly and reaL wardly with the hand wheel 8, thecords 11 8o and 15 are moved so as to swing both ailerons either upwardly or downwardly, to control the ascent and descent of the airship.

The present steering gear may be used for controlling ailerons on the wings of an airplane, or independent elevators or ailerons adjacent to the rudder, or in various other arrangements. l

Having thus described-the invention, what is claimed as new is: c

1. A steering gear for airships comprising a slidable member, a manually operable member mounted for rotary movement on the firstnamed member, ailerons, operative connections between said members and ailerons for moving said ailerons in the same direction by the movement of one of said members and for moving the ailerons inlopposite directions by the movement of the other member, and a. rudder, one of said members being 10 movable in another direction and being operably connected with the rudder for moving said rudder in such movement of said member. 5') 2. A steering gear for airships comprising a freely slidable member, a manually operable member mounted for rotationon the irstnamed member, ailerons, guide elements carried by the irstnamed member, other guide elements at ixed points between which the irstnamed guide elements are movable, and cables connecting the secondnamed member and ailerons-and guided by the'rstnamed and secondnamed elements in order that the sliding movement of the rstnamed member will move the ailerons in the same direction and the turning movement of the secondnamed member will move y.the ailerons in opposite directions. l zo 3. A steering gear for airships comprising a rotary and slidable member, a rudder, an operative connection between said rudder and f v member wherebyl the turning movement of said member turns the rudder, a manually operable member mounted for turning movement on the rstnamed member, ailerons, and operative connections between said members and ailerons whereby the sliding movement 'of the rstnamed member moves the ailerons in the samedirection and the turning movement of the secondnamed member moves the ailerons in opposite directions.

4. A steering gear for airships comprisin a rotary member, a slidable member mounte to turn with the rotary member, a rudder, an operative connection between the rudder and rotary member, a manually operable member mounted for rotation on the slidable member, ailerons, and operative connections 40 between the slidable and manually operable members and the ailerons whereby the movement of the slidable member moves the ailerons in the saine direction and the turning movement of the manually operable member moves the aileronsin opposite directions.

5. A steering gear for airships comprising `a rotatable member, a slidable member mounted to turn'with the rotatable member, andhaving an arm, a rudder, an' operative connection between the rotatable member and rudder, a drum and a hand wheel mounted for turning movement on said arm, g'uideelements carried by the slidable member, guide elements at 'iixfed points, ailerons, and cables connecting said drum and ailerons and passing around the firstnamed and secondnamed elements in order that the sliding movement. of said slidable. member will move the ailerons in the same direction and the rotation of the drum will move the ailerons in opposite directions.

In'testimony whereof I hereunto aix my signature. y

JESSE D. LANGDON. 

